Dot To Dot: The Horrors and many more announced for 2018

Dot to Dot has announced its first set of acts for this years’ festival. Running from 25-27th May, the Nottingham/Manchester/Bristol festival is in its 13th year, and headlining are The Horrors. With a total of 5 UK Top 40 albums out, The Horrors blew up in 2006 and have been nominated for a Mercury prize for their 2009 album Primary Colours.

With Dot to Dot wanting to support emerging talent, they have recruited both Dermot Kennedy and Pale Waves. Kennedy is a 25 year-old Irishman who’s EP Doves & Ravens has over 80 million streams on Spotify, and has got James Blake and Taylor Swift amongst his fans. He’s something similar to Bon Iver, so he’s not one to be missed. Manchester’s Pale Waves have shot up; not only were they nominated for the BBC Sound of 2018, they also received praise from tastemakers such as NME and The Guardian. On the same label as The 1975 and Wolf Alice, the band plan to add an album to their EP this year.

After coming back from alt-J’s European tour, Marika Hackman is also coming to Dot to Dot, and she’s an artist who isn’t going to conform; she’s more likely to quote proto-feminist ghost stories.

Mahalia, Leicester’s soul/R&B prodigy, will also make an appearance at Dot to Dot 2018. At only 19, she’s signed to powerhouse label Atlantic Records, she’s got 5 million views on her session for COLORS, and with a support tour for Jorja Smith planned, Mahalia is one you want to see.

Also on the bill: American indie-rockers Turnover for the festival sing-alongs, Bristol’s Bad Sounds, and internet sensation Gus Dapperton.

Dot to Dot 2018 will also have performances from LA punk rockers The Regrettes, as well as Manchester’s most tropical band Cassia.

Organiser Adam Lockwood of DHP Family said: “We’re delighted to welcome The Horrors to headline 2018’s Dot to Dot festival… Beyond The Horrors, really the festival is about new music, and our other two main headliners are new artists destined for huge things.”